Filed under: Horse Racing
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Amidst the royal treatment she has received since her arrival at the site of this weekend's Breeders' Cup, Zenyatta took to the track for the first time Wednesday and got a passing grade from her trainer and rider."She did fine,'' trainer John Shirreffs told reporters after Zenyatta -- the unbeaten mare trying to repeat as Breeders' Cup Classic champion Saturday -- took a gallop on the Churchill Downs track before a crowd of reporters, admirers and owners Jerry and Ann Moss. "She seems very happy and really got over the track good.''
Despite last year's Classic victory, Zenyatta's first trip here was of enormous interest, given the doubts expressed by various skeptics that she would do as well on a classic dirt track rather than the synthetic surfaces on which she has often run. Churchill Downs' track is being graded as fast thanks to a dry summer and autumn; a forecast of light showers Wednesday was not expected to affect that.
"She's terrific. She couldn't be training any better. She loves the dirt,'' said Steve Willard, her regular exercise rider. "I knew it two years ago, and I knew it going into Hot Springs. She drives off it. It doesn't have the trampoline effect like the synthetics.''
Zenyatta won April's Apple Blossom Invitational in Hot Springs, Ark., the race that was to have pitted her against Rachel Alexandra before the latter pulled out with an injury.
Source: http://www.fanhouse.com/2010/11/03/zenyatta-fine-in-first-churchill-downs-workout/
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